The Lost Civilizations of the Stone Age

The prehistory of humankind is no mere prelude to history, rather history is a colorful and eventful afterword to the Stone Age, asserts Richard Rudgley in a work that brings into question many assumptions about our cultural superiority. Looking at all the major elements of the Stone-Age civilization -- writing, math, science, technology, art, and religion -- Rudgley argues that the evolution of what makes humans unique, our civilizing customs, reaches far back into the midst of prehistory. Indeed, the peoples of the Stone Age were astonishingly accomplished -- in some ways, more advanced than we are today. The Lost Civilizations of the Stone Age showcases the advances of these forward-thinking people, including: -- Their vivid representations of constellations dating back more than 40,000 years ago -- The invention of the first calculation devices, used to count lunar cycles -- Examples of Stone-Age art that, in terms of both technique and aesthetics, is anything but primitive -- Innovations in boat building that made Stone-Age peoples the greatest explorers in history. A fascinating and rich introduction to a lost world.